Photo Blogs Document the Humans of Jakarta

JAKARTA–The popularity of photo blog Humans of New York has inspired a similar offshoot in Indonesia’s own melting pot, Jakarta.

Like Humans of New York, the three Tumblr-based blogs and one Facebook page tell the stories of people living in Jakarta through pictures and short quotations.

The comments cover everything from residents’ interests and hobbies, how they met their partners, how they survive in the massive metropolis of about 10 million people, or why they’ve decided to stay here.

This one if my favorites from my collection of vintage cars. There are only 27 like it in the world.”

Talisa Salmon/Humans of Jakarta

“Old people say when the hair of your leg has fallen down in one place, you won’t be able to leave it,” an elderly resident says on the Humans in Jakarta blog.

That blog and the others all work to reveal the many different sides of a city often described as The Big Durian, a prickly-skinned, smelly fruit that is hated by some people, but loved by many.

Aditya Suharmoko, who co-created See Jkt, said he was inspired after reading the blog Humans of New York and realizing how well it would work for Jakarta.

“It’s a big, complex, interesting city, which we think shares similarities with New York,” he said. “We were born and grew up in Jakarta, and no matter how many times we think, ‘I’m fed up with this city and I’m going to get out of here,’ we always come back. This blog is a tribute to the city that we love.”

Native Jakartans like Mr. Suharmoko are not alone.

“I feel like Jakarta is a city of surprises,” said Jane Spence, 34, the Australian co-founder of English-language blog We Are Jakarta.

“I love the people and, as a foreigner in Indonesia, I wanted to get to know the people here,” said Ms. Spence, who manages the blog alongside 31-year-old Kamal Merai, from New Zealand, and Daisy Santoso, 33, from Jakarta.

Mr. Merai said he had little idea what Jakarta was about when he first arrived, but eventually he discovered things that made him smile. “So I just wanted to show my friends and family around the world what I was seeing here.”

Creating the individual blog entries means having to approach strangers and get them to start talking.

All the fun and none of the responsibility.”

We Are Jkt

“We go to a part of Jakarta, let’s say the Old Town, and when we see someone interesting, we ask if we can take their photo and if we can ask some questions,” said Mr. Suharmoko. Most people are friendly and agree to be photographed, but Mr. Suharmoko says he has also received rejections.

Talisa Salmon, 45, an Australian photography and film teacher behind the Humans of Jakarta Facebook page, says she never has a problem getting people to open up. In fact, often she is the one who gets approached.

“Indonesians are very friendly and love to tell their story,” said Ms. Salmon, who gives her card to people she interviews so they can view their profile on Humans of Jakarta.

“Usually I ask what people love and hate about Jakarta,” she said. “My goal is to document and celebrate diversity.”

Mr. Merai said his conversations revolve around peoples’ interests or curiosities. “We also try to keep an objective and balanced eye on Jakarta, and an open ended question is usually enough to start a conversation,” he said.

When a street busker featured on the blog was asked why he does what he does, he replies: “It is a great way to hone skills and earn cash, I am making more money busking full time on the streets than I was making at my last job.”

Unlike the other sites, the Humans in Jakarta blog was founded by a local cosmetics company, Wardah, and is run by American photographer Langston Hues, 25, and Lisa Namuri, 34, a physical fitness instructor. Mr. Hues takes the pictures and Ms. Namuri gets the conversation going, Mr. Hues said.

Each site is unique in its own way, but what ties them all together is what they reveal about Jakarta: the city might be tough to live in, but Jakartans also feel a strange kind of joy about living here that can’t be found elsewhere.